1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a mobile image forming apparatus which is improved in portability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus is connected to a host device in which image data is stored and visualizes the image data on a printing medium according to an output signal of the host device. Such an image forming apparatus may be classified into an ink jet type, an electrophotographic type, a dye sublimation type, etc. according to a method and function for image forming.
Recently, the image forming apparatus may be connected to a portable host device to communicate image data. Particularly, as a photography technology for image data has been under rapid development, many users can directly print photographic image data which are photographed by the users through the image forming apparatus.
Coping with this trend, an image forming apparatus for printing the photographic image data only has been developed. Particularly, an image forming apparatus of a dye sublimation type is widely used for photographic image data printing in consideration of its superior resistance to image deterioration due to physical characteristics such as moisture, good image preservation and high resolution.
However, the image forming apparatus for the photographic image data printing is conventionally too large in size for a user to carry this device, and thus, it is not practical for the user to carry such a device from one location to another and directly print the image data through the image forming apparatus.
Further, because the conventional image forming apparatus has no printing medium storage unit to store therein printing mediums, a user has to manually supply a printing medium to print, and thus, it is difficult to continuously print a plurality of image data.
Furthermore, in the conventional image forming apparatus, a printing medium having an image formed thereon is exposed to the outside of the apparatus while being transported by a user. Accordingly, the user has to directly touch the printing medium, thereby contaminating a surface of the printing medium.